Grain-spout mechanism



L. E. WRAY.

GRAIN SPDUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1919.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

l SHEETS-SHEET l- Mfhesses f4) AZIW L; E. WRAY.

GRAIN SPOUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1919,

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2- I L. E. WRAY. GRAIN SPOUT MECHANISM.

'APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8(1919.

Patented A11. 10, 1920.

4 $HEETSSHEET 3.

L. E. WRAY.

GRAIN SPOUT MECHANISM.

a I 5 6 2 I 5 4 z w w UNITED PATENT lFi' lQEH LEONARD E. VIRAY, 0FMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

'GRAIN-SPGUT MECHANISM.

Application filed January 8, 1919. Serial No. 270,168.

To all whom it may concern c it known that I, linonann E. ear, a citizenof the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepinand State of Minnesota, have invented certain ew and useful.improvements in Grain- Fipout ll lechanism; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My present invention relates to grain spout mechanism, is in the natureoian im provement on my U. S. Letters Patent, 1,192., l85, issued July25, 1916, entitled Flexible grain spout, and has for its ob? ject toprovide means for transporting such spouts and bring the same intoregistration with overhead discharge spouts.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the noveldevices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined inthe claims;

In the accompanying drawings, which illus rate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a view of the invention intransverse section; a

Fig. 2 a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in centralvertical section F 3 is a plan view;

liig. 4 is a view partly in plan and partly in horisoiuial section takenon the line l l of 1, with some parts removed;

Fig. 5 is a view principally in rear elevation and partly in transversevertical section taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

6 is detail view oi": the latch, with some parts sectioned on the line66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. is detail view of one of the pivotal connections between theoperating lever and coupling sleeve with some parts sectioned on theline 77 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a detail view with some parts sectioned on the oblique line8-8 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 9 is detail view with some parts sectioned on the line 99 of Fig.2.

The numeral 10 indicates the floor of an overhead storage bin or hopperhaving a plurality of openings 11, only one of which is shown. Suspendedfrom the ceiling of the floor 10 by longitudinally spaced pairs ofbraclrets 12, is a track 13 comprising a pair of rails, in the form ofcommercial angle bars and located under the openings 11,T as shown inFig. 1. depending discharge spout l l comprising upper and lowersections, the former of which is of cast metal and rigidly secured tothe ceiling of the floor 10 by nut-equipped bolts 15. Each opening 11will, of course, be provided with one of these spouts 14C. The lower endo1 the upper section of the spout 1a is contracted and has formed in itsouter face an endless channel 16 in which is mounted a transverselydivided collar 17. The upper end of the lower section of the spout 14 istelescoped onto the contracted lower end of the upper section thereof, adistance suihcient to receive the collar 17 and is detachably securedthereto hyscrews 18. As shown, the lower section of the spout 14: ismade from sheet metal and its lower end is contracted and of angularform.

Mounted on the track 13, is a truck, indiated as an entirety by thenumeral 19, and cgnnprising a rectangular frame 20 having at each cornera fixed axle 21 on which is journaled a flanged wheel 22. These flangedwheels 22 support the truck 19 on the track 13 for traveling movementthereon.

Suspended from the truck 19, is a flexible metallic distributing spout,indicated as an entirety by the numeral 23, and adapted to betransported by said truck to and from positions under the dischargespouts 1 1. This distributing spout is de igned for turning movement onits longitudinal axis and oscillatory movement from one side to theother of a vertical position, and comprises an. upper section 2%, alower section 25, and a head. section 26 located between said upper andlower sections. The'upper spout section 24 is in the form of avertically disposed cylinder that closely tits'within the truck frame 20and is rigidly secured thereto by rivets. This spout section 2a is ofsuch length as to extend from the upper surface of the truck frame 20 toa point slightly below the track 18. The upper edge portion of the spoutsection 24 is made slightly laring and, on its lower end, is a pair ofupper and lower swivel rings 27, the former of which is loose and thelatter of which is rigidly secured by rivets to said spout seclnregistration with the opening 11, is a tion and affords a support onwhich the upper swivel ring is free to turn.

The spout head 26 has flat sides and curved ends that are formed on arcsof the same circle and which head is suspended from the loose swivelring 27 by an irregular shaped member 23, having a depending flangewhich Closely fits within the upper end of said head and is rivetedthereto. This member 23 also has an upwardly projecting flange, whichclosely fits around the loose swivel ring 27 and is detachably securedthereto by screws 29. Obviously, the loose swivel ring 27 supports thespout head 26 from the upper spout section 24, with freedom for turningmovement on a vertical i The lower spout section 25 is suspended fromthe spout head 26 by two pairs of vertically disposed and diametricallyopposite hinge straps 30, the pivots 31 of which are, as shown, in theform of nut-equipped bolts axially alined with the projected axis of thecircle from which the ends of the spout head 26 are struck. The uppermembers of the hinge straps 39 are rigidly secured by rivets to the flatsides of the spout head 26 and the lower members thereof are likewisesecured to the lower spout section 25. p j

The upper end portion of the lower spout section 25 is rectangular incross section and the open lower portion of the spout head 26 projectstherein. When this spout section 25 is hanging straight down, the upperedges of its end is only slightly above the lower edges of the end ofthe spout head 26. From the upper edges of the end ofthe lower spoutsection 25, the sides thereof are tapered upward to points above thepivots 31 and provided with bores through which said pivots project. Byreference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the inner ends of the pivots31 also extend through bores in the sides of the spout head 26 and aremounted in bearing plates 32 rigidly secured to the inner faces of thesides of said head. It will also be noted that the lower ends of theupper members of the hinge straps 30 are offset to embrace the upperends of the lower members of said hinge straps and that their upper endsare bent horizontally outward to afford a pair of anchor lugs 33, thepurpose of which will presently appear.

To close the open joints between the spout head 26 and lower spoutsection 25, T provide a pairof curved joint plates 34 that have closeengagement with the curved ends of said head and are provided with flatsegmental sides that also closely engage the flat side of said head andare pivoted on the pins 31. Beads 35 are formed on the lower edges ofthe joint plates 34 and frictionally engage the inner faces of the endsof the lower spout section 25 for alternate oscillatory movementtherewith. Or, in other words, when the lower spout section 25 is moved,we will say to the right, from a vertical position, the lefthand jointplate 34 will be moved therewith and, at which time, the right-handjoint plate remains stationary. A reverse movement of said lower spoutsection from a vertical position will cause the right-hand joint plateto move therewith and, at which time, the left-hand joint plate remainsstationary. It will thus be seen that the joint between the spout head26 and lower spout section 25 is constantly kept closed to prevent theescape of grain and dust therethrough.

Coiled springs 36 are provided for yieldingly and independently holdingthe joint plates 34 in their uppermost positions. The inner ends ofthese springs 36 are attached to the anchor lugs 33 and their outer endsare anchored to horizontally disposed bolts 37 carried by U-shapedbrackets 38 attached to the upper edge portions of the sides of thejoint plates 34, as best shown-in Fig. 2.

The lower end of the lower spout sec- 7 tion 25 is of cylindrical form,and telescoped thereon is a spout extension 39. Rigidly secured to theupper end of the spout extension 39, is a wide collar 40, the upper endportion of which is curved outwardly and downwardly to afford an annularlock flange 41. 7 To lock the spout extension 39 to the lower spoutsection 25, when in its uppermost position, I provide a pair ofdiametrically opposite latches 42. These latches 42 are gravity actuatedand loosely suspended from brackets 43 rigidly secured to the lowerspout section 25. The hooked lower ends of the latches 42 normally hangin the path of movement of the lock flange 41 and, during the extremeupward movement of the spout extension 39 on the lower spout section 25,said lock flange will engage the latches and cam the same out of itspath of movement. As soon as the lock flange 41 has passed the hookedlower ends of the latches 42, said latches will swing inward,

under the action of gravity, and when thespout extension 39 is released,said latches will engage the lock flange, and thereby support thespout'extension 39 therefrom. The 7 intermediate portions of the latches42 are inbent to afford cam surfaces 44.

To release the lock flange 41 from the latches 42, the spout extension39 is first moved upward ,to carry said lock flange into engagement withthe cam surfaces 44, and thereby swing the latches 42 outward of thepath of movement of the lock flange 41. A quick downward movement of thespout extension 39 will then carry the lock flange 41 past the latches42. Obviously, the lock flange 41 and flanges 42 permit free turningmovement of the spout extension 39 on the lower spout section 25. Stoppins 45 on the brackets 43 limit the up- Ward outward swinging movementof the latches 42.

To hold the loose swivel ring 27 on the fixed swivel ring 27, and thusprevent telescopical movement'of the spout head 26 on the upper spoutsection 24, during the lifting movement of the spout extension 39 on thelower spout section 25, I rigidly secure to said upper spout section,just above the loose swivel ring 27, a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced blocks 46. Also to prevent the truck 19 from being displaced fromthe track 18, during this same movement of the spout extension 89, Isecure to the side members of the truck frame 20 L-shaped retainingfingers 47, the horizontal portions of which extend outward under therails of said track. These retaining lingers 47 are located sufficientlyclose to the rails of the track 13 to prevent the flanges of the truckwheels 22 from lifting above said rails, and thereby preventdisplacement of the truck 19.

When the truck 19 is moved to position the upper spout section 24 inaxial. alinement with the discharge spout 14, said upper spout sectionis locked thereto and the joint therebetween is closed by a couplingsleeve 48. This coupling sleeve 48 is loosely telescoped into the upperspout section 24, and, when raised, telescopically receives thecontracted lower end of the discharge spout 14, and thereby locks thedistributing spout 23; and hence, the truck 19 under said dischargespout. I 7

To raise and lower the coupling sleeve 48 within the upper spout section24, provide a lever 49, which comprises a pair of flat bars boltedtogether at their ends and bent outward at their intermediate portionsto form a large ring which loosely surrounds the coupling sleeve 48 Thering portion of the lever 49 is secured to the coupling sleeve 48 by apair of diametrically opposite pivots 50, in the form of nutequippedbolts. These bolts 50, as shown, have large flat heads and are securedto the coupling sleeve by inserting their bodies through central boresformed in flat pieces of metal 51 that are riveted to the outer faces ofsaid coupling sleeve with the heads of said bolts between said sleeveand pieces of metal, as best shown in Fig. By reference to Fig. 2, itwill be noted that the seats 52 in the lever 49 for the bolts 50 arehorizontally elongated to afford the necessary play of said bolts,during the raising and lowering movement of said lever. The

rear end of the lever 49 is inserted between.

a pair of laterally spaced brackets 53 and fulcrumed thereto by aconnecting" bolt 54. The brackets 53 are rigidly secured to the truckframe 20 and to the upper spout section 24 by brace rod 55.

Secured in the outer or free end of the lever 49, is a ring 56 to whichis attached an operating cable 57, the lower end of which terminateswithin easy reach of an operator. The lever 49 is automatically raised;and hence, the coupling sleeve 48 is raised by a pair of coiled springs58 that encircle a pair of bolts 59 having bifurcated heads and arecompressed between said heads and the truck frame 20. These bolts 59have their bifurcated heads pivoted to brackets 60 rigidly secured tothe ring portion of the lever 49 rearward of the transverse centerthereof. The bodies of the bolts 59 are guided by mounting the same inbores formed in the truck frame, andtheir lifting movement is limited,under the action of the springs 58, by placing on their lower ends nuts61, which afford adjustable stops when lifted into engagement with thetruck frame 20.

T 0 lock the lever 49 down against the tension of the spring 58, Iprovide a gravityactuated latch 62 intermediately pivoted off center at63 to the front end of the truck frame 20, as shown in Fig. 6. On the upper end of the latch 62, is a detent 64 arranged to interlock with alock notch 65 in the forward endportion of the lever 49, and therebylocksaid lever to thetruck frame 20. The lower end of the latch 62 isweighted at 66 and a stop 67 on the truck frame 20 limits the swingingmovement of the upper end of said latch toward the lever 49. A camsurface 68 on the latch lever 62 is arranged to be engaged by the lever49, when pulled down, to cam said latch out of the path of movementthereof and permit the detent 64 to enter the lock notch 65 under theaction of gravity. i

To release the latch 62 from the lever 49, it is'only necessary to givesaid lever a slight downward pull, and thereby. cause thesame to moveover the cam surface 68 and cam the lock detent 64 out of the lock notch(55. A quick release of the lever 49 will then permit the same to passthe latch and move upward out of engagement therewith. Obviously, whenthe truck 19 is positioned under one of the discharge spouts 14 and thelever 49 released, the upward movement of said lever, under the actionof the springs 58, will telescope the coupling sleeve 48 onto therespective discharge spout. In positioning the truck 19, under adischarge spout 14, it is not necessary to have the upper spout section24 in true aline'ment therewith. Tt is only necessary to have the truck19 so positioning that, when the lever 49 is released, it will extendacross the discharge spout 14 and bearthereagainst. In the re leasedposition of the lever 49, the same will extend in an inclined'positionwith its free upper end portion bearing against the adjacent edge of thedischarge spout 14, and acting as a cam surface thereon. With the lever49 thus positioned, the truck 19 may be pulled forward, by taking holdof the distributing spout, until the ring portion of said lever issubstantially concentric with the discharge spout 14. In this positionof the lever 49, the same is free from thedischarge spout M and thesprings 58 will lift said lever, and thereby telescope the couplingsleeve 48 onto said discharge spout.

In actual practice, a suitable gate or valve will be provided forclosing the discharge spout 14. The spout extension 39 will also beprovided with suitable hand holds by which the distributing spout may bemanipulated to adjust the same, or cause the truck 19 to travel on thetrack 13.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a fixed discharge spout, of an overhead track, atraveling truck on the track, a distributing spout carried by the truck,and a coupling sleeve carried by the'truck and arranged for telescopicalmovement to connect the distributing spout to the discharge spout andposition and hold the truck against movement on the-track.

2. The combination with a discharge spout, of an overhead track locatedbelow the discharge spout, a traveling truck on the track, adistributing spout carried by the truck and arranged to be transportedthere by to and from a'position under the dis charge spout, a couplingsleeve telescopically connected to the distributing spout, yieldingmeanstending to project the coupling sleeve into registration with thedischarge spout, and means for retracting the coupling sleeve. 7 3. Thecombination with a discharge spout, of an overhead track'located belowthe discharge spot, a traveling truck on the track, a distributing spoutcarried by the truck and arranged to be transported thereby to and froma position under the discharge spout, a coupling sleeve telescopicallyconnected to the distributing spout, a lever fulcrumed to the truck andintermediately pivoted to the coupling sleeve,

.springstending to project the coupling sleeve into registration withthe discharge spout, and a connection for operating the lever to retractthe coupling sleeve.

a. The combination with a discharge spout, of an overhead track locatedbelow the discharge spout, a traveling truck on the track, adistributing spout carried by the truck and arranged to be transportedthereby to and from a position under the discharge spout, a couplingsleeve telescopically connected to the distributing spout, a leverfulcrumed to the truck and intermediately pivoted to the couplingsleeve, springs tending to project the coupling sleeve into registrationwith the discharge spout, a con-' nection for operating the lever toretract the coupling sleeve, and a latch for holding the lever when thecoupling sleeve is in a retracted position.

5. The combination with a discharge spout, of an overhead track locatedbelow the discharge spout, a traveling truck on the track, adistributing spout carried by the truck and arranged to be transportedthere- .by to and from a position under the discharge spout, acouplingsleeve telescopically connected to the distributing spout, a leverfulcrumed to the truck and intermediately pivoted to the couplingsleeve, springs tending to project the coupling sleeve into registrationwiththe discharge spout, a connection for operating the lever to retractthe coupling sleeve, and an automatic latch for holding the lever whenthe coupling sleeve is in a retracted position 6.-The combination with adischarge spout, of an overhead track located below the discharge spout,a traveling truckon the track, a distributing spout carried by the truckand arranged to be transported thereby to and from a position under thedischarge spout, a coupling sleeve telescopically connected to thedistributing spout, a lever fulcrumed to the truck and intermediatelypivoted to the coupling sleeve, a connection for operating the lever toretract the coupling sleeve, a spring compressedbetween the truck andlever and tending to move said lever into a position to project thecoupling sleeve in registration with the discharge spout, and a latchfor holding the lever when the coupling sleeve is in a retractedposition.

7. The combination with a discharge spout, of an overhead track locatedbelow the discharge spout, a traveling truck on the track, adistributing spout carried by the truck and arranged to be transportedthereby to and from a position under the discharge spout, arcouplingsleeve telescopically connected to the distributing spout, a leverfulcrumed to the truck and having a ring-like intermediate thedistributing spout and pivoted to the coupling sleeve at diametricallyopposite points, a pair of bolts pivoted to the intermediate portion ofthe lever and guided by thetruck frame, coiled springs encircling thebolts and under strain to move the lever into position to project thecoupling sleeve into registration with the dischar'ge'spout, aconnection for operating the lever to retract the coupling sleeve, and alatch forholding the lever when the coupling sleeve is in a retractedposition.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' LEONARD E. WRAY. Witnesses:

CLARA DEMAREST, EVA E. KiiNrG.

portion encircling

